Curtain-eixttjbe



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS WHITEHEAD, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

CURTAIN-FIXTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 18,878, dated December 15, 1857.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS WHITEHEAD, of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Ventilating Ourtain-Fixture; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in a mechanical arrangement whereby I am enabled to lower the curtain from the top, and raise it from the bottom, for the purpose of regulating ventilation or light.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Figure 1, is a perspective view of the fixture, complete, with curtain attached. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the outer portion of the sliding block. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the inner portion of the sliding block. Fig. 4L is a view of the sliding wedge bolt. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the movable bearing. Fig. 6 is a view of the spiral spring. Fig. 7 is a view of the block for end of rail. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the brace. Fig. 9 is a view of the extension bar for brace, with bearing attached for roller. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the rail. Fig. 11 is a view of the curtain roller. Fig. 12 is a view of the movable bearing, and projecting shoulder with the spiral spring in its position.

Let similar letters refer to like parts in all the figures.

Then (A) will represent the rail, (B) the sliding block, (C) the sliding wedge bolt, (D) the brace, (E) the movable bearing, (F) the spiral spring, (G) the mortise for the ends of the movable bearing, (H) the thumb screw or set, (I) the extension bar for brace w-ith bearing attached, (K, K) the blocks for rail, L) the thumb knob, the projecting shoulder, (N) the curtain roller, (O) the handle.

I construct my rail (A) in the form of a T and to each end of said rail I fit a block (K). These blocks I construct in such a way that the ends of the rail fit into them firmly, so that by means of screws which pass through the blocks, the rail can be permanently fixed to the window casing. I construct my sliding block (B) to t on to my rail (A) by means of grooves on the inner side, as shown at Fig. 3. The outer part of this sliding block (Fig. 2) I construct with a handle pendant- (O) at the lower end and a projecting shoulder (M) at the upper end. I also have a mortised groove (Gr) which passes through the head of the sliding block (B) to receive the sliding wedge bolt (C). Into the side of my sliding block (B) I frame my brace (D) by means of tenons. This brace (D) I construct with a box (Fig. 8) and into this boX I iit an extension bar (Fig. 9) with a bearing attached to receive one end of the friction roller (N). I also construct a movable bearing (Fig. 5) with a projecting end at each side. These projecting ends I pass through two small mortises (G) cut through the sides of the sliding block (B). In this position the movable bearing (E) rests on the end of the sliding wedge bolt (C) and receives the other end of the friction roller (N). I also construct a spiral spring (F) one end of which rests upon the movable bearing (E) and the other end rests against the inside of the projecting shoulder (M) as seen at Fig. 12. My sliding bolt (O) I connect by meansof a wire (a a) (Fig. 4) which enters the top end of the sliding bolt (C) and passes through the handle at (D D) (Fig. 2) and along a groove under the handle (A A) (Fig. 3) and again passes through the handle at (E E) (Fig. 2) and terminates with a thumb knob at B B (Fig. e.

In order to use my fixture, in the first place I iit it to the width of the window by means of the thumb screw or set in the boX of my brace, (D) (Fig. 1) then having placed the different parts in their respective positions as seen in Fig. 1 I screw the rail (A) up into its place on the window casing by means of the blocks (K K). The curtain may now be drawn down by the tassel in the center. If I wish to admit light or ventilation into the room, I take hold of the handle (O) and pull the sliding block (B) downward the desired eXtent. The spiral spring (F) pressing upon the movable bearing (E) forces the friction roller (N) down upon t-he rail (A) and as the sliding block (B) descends, the curtain roller (N) travels down upon the rail (A) and rolls the curtain up upon itself. If I wish to raise the curtain I now push the sliding bolt (C) upward with my thumb, 'which causes the end of the sliding bolt (C) to pass beneath the movable bearing (E). This action raises the friction roller (N) off from the rail (A) and forcesit against the projecting shoulder (M) -and While in this position I return the sliding block (B) to its first place at the top of the rail (A) by pushing it upward by the handle (O) and then With my thumb I immediately draw down the sliding bolt (C) by which operation the friction roller (N) is forced back on to the rail (A), When the same action can be repeated as often as required. Thus it Will be seen that the spiral spring (F) pressing upon the movable bearing (E) causes the friction roller (N) to bear upon the rail (A) and hold the sliding block (B) always in its place.

Not changing the principle but, as a modification of my rail (A) I design to construct it With a groove or grooves, in the center to run lengthwise, and also of my sliding block (B) to construct it with corresponding tongue or tongues to lt my rail. As another modiication I design to make my handle (O) in a separate piece from my sliding block (B) and construct it with an eccentric end, Which eccentric end I propose to pass into my sliding block (B) Vand to connect it in a chamber (corresponding to the eccentric end of the handle) to my movable bearing so as to dispense With the sliding Wedge bolt (C) and the spiral spring F.

Having thus described the nat-ure, construction, and operation of my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

l. The rail (A) in combination With the sliding block (B) and the brace for the purposes set forth.

2. I claim the friction roller (N) in combination with its movable bearing (E) the rail (A) and projecting shoulders (M) for operating the curtain as set forth.

3. I claim the sliding Wedge bolt (C) in combination With the movable bearing on the eccentric as an equivalent for the purposes set forth.

4. I claim the extension bar (I) With the roller bearing, and set, for the purposes setforth.

LEVIS WHITEHEAD.

Witnesses:

JOEL WHEELER,

` L. WHITEHEAD,. Jr. 

